Sunday, 21 June 2015

I Have of Late .......

"I have of late - but wherefore I know not - lost all my mirth."

If this post sounds a bit whingey then I apologise in advance. For one reason or another this week has been particularly trying with no respite from ****-wittery on any front. Work has been especially vexing and I normally look at the weekend to restore my equilibrium, through sewing a bit, to last me through the week.

For the last few months I have only had time to go to the Studio to sew on a Saturday and maybe a Sunday. However, for one reason and another, yesterday was a complete wash-out. I go to meditation class in the same building once a month which fell on yesterday so that took up most of the day then I had a grumpy, whining and snottery Sprogzilla to deal with. Is teenager flu worse than man flu? I think so but just to test that hypothesise there has been both at home this week. The best I could manage yesterday without strangling someone was to finish cutting out some rectangles for a patchwork quilt I am planning to make her grump-nesty.

I started buying fabric for this almost 10 years ago, slow sewing may be for the win but I might be taking it a bit far. Sprogzilla likes blues and greys and there is a little black, purple, green and pink added into the mix because I like how all these colours go together. Looking at them all it might be a bit goth. It may need some skulls *haha*

The photo really does not do these fabrics justice. There is no solid blacks they are all dark blue, pink or purple marbled or one black/grey patterned black. 90% of these fabrics are batiks that I bought in Purely Patchwork in Linlithgow. That is a great wee quilting shop packed to the gunwales with fabric and notions. I think that they do classes as well. The rest came from Mandors in Glasgow except for this Fat Quarter that I bought from Frumble via eBay. This is the first time that I used them but I will again. They were great.

Sprogzilla has a bit of a thing for My Little Ponies and this was the best I could find. It is a Michael Miller Print called "Sweet Pony" and the colours are a pretty good match. Without this FQ I only need 45 squares out of almost 400 so will probably need another one to have enough. The end is nigh, woo hoo! People who quilt often must have the patience of a saint, and bloody deep pockets. That shizz is expensive.

No thought whatsoever was put into the buying of the fabrics. If I liked the colours then they were coming home with me. There is no design planned for this, apart from laying them all out on the floor and swapping them round until they look like they belong with each other.

In other news I got three new vintage patterns and a book on dyeing with plants. Still cracks me up that the 80's are "vintage". You have to keep me away from eBay when I am bored. Commuting is a great enabler.. The book is quite thin but is packed with really useful information and I will do a review on it next week. I have loads of suitable plants in the garden so will be giving this a go soon.

Hope that you are all having happy, healthy and strop-free weeks! I am off for strong liquor and a lie down.

14 comments:

Ha, thanks, Gillian. Just like a cold but with bouts of stropiness and general whingeing. Kids, eh! The colours are really nice. I could sit and stare at all the little pieces for hours, which strangely enough I am going to have to do to get them in some sort of order. I think that it will be nice when it is finished. Xx

Ah sorry you've had a rubbish week. Mine involved a snotty toddler, which was probably better than a snotty teenager though by the sounds of it. Her quilt is going to be EPIC! That pony fabric is amazing! Lucky, snotty girl! xx

Thanks, Zoe. I think at that age they revert when they are poorly. This was like the "Terrible Two's" but with more attitude. Hope that Dolores is feeling better, there is definitely something doing the rounds. I am looking forward to making this quilt and am hoping to make a start next weekend. Xx

Teenage flu sounds unpleasant! Hope it does one pretty soon.Love the Michael Miller fabric. I adore patchwork and that's a faff, I bet quilting is terribly time consuming but the result will be worth it.Fab patterns. xxx

Thanks, Vix. I am with you on the flu. You have some ace patchwork. It is fab for using up odds and sods of fabric. I am looking forward to quilting this but the last time I tried my machine ate it :) Xx

You don't sound whiney - you're allowed to be fed up with the effects of teenage flu!The patchwork is going to look amazing, great fabrics. I am also a bit surprised to find the 80s are vintage but I always reckon that vintage means at least 30 years old, so that means anything up to 1985... Which doesn't seem so long ago really! Those dress patterns look early 80s to me, so they qualify, and the skirts (with fab pockets) are 70s, so they're in! xxx

1985, what a great year! i can still recall the smell of cooking hair when you crimped it and wearing too much black eyeliner to school. Really doesn't seem that long ago to me either. Yes, the skirt pattern is great. I love the big pockets. Nice that the 70's are back in vogue even if it is a sanitised version via the likes of "Free People". Why are there no platforms and blokes rocking haircuts like Dave Hill? Maybe I just answered my own question. :) Xx

I know. I was really surprised to see the same one on your blog. I have to do a little grading up but I will be making this dress up soon. I have the perfect summer fabric for it. Yours was really lovely and it was great to see how the sleeveless view looked. I loved it. Xx

Hope next week is better, it sounds like you've had a bit of a crappy time :( I've just started my first ever quilt but whilst I will 'probably' love the finished result I can't say the same about the process. I found cutting up old shirts into 300 perfect rectangles beyond boring xx

Thanks Josie. I know the feeling. I have got almost 400 rectangles to cut out and it is the hardest work ever. I really have to psyche myself up for it mentally. They are really worth it though and are lovely things to have. I have one that I made about 20 years ago and it still lives on my bed. Looking forward to seeing yours. Old shirts sound perfect. Xx

About Me

Hello, my name is Kelly. Welcome to MoR! This is the spot to follow the creative highs and lows as I try to upcycle my life. Boring scientist by day, secret seamstress by night. I love all things sewing, crafting, vintage fashion & home related. I am a complete corset obsessive, making corsets under the "Bad Kitty" banner and have been known to sew a costume or two. I live in Glasgow with way too much vintage fabric and sewing machines.
When I am not sewing I like gardening, cooking and baking. I have a beautiful daughter who thinks I am embarrassing and a very cuddly cat.